Breakdown
by dutchtulips
Summary: R/Hr. Ron's ordinary live comes to an abrupt halt, bringing everything down around him, making him realize a part of himself he thought he'd forgotten, and all because of a simple letter from Hermione. But what does the letter say?


**SD ~ **JKR reaps it all. 

**AN ~ **Okay, so there's really no story behind it all, it's just a quickfic I felt inspired out of nowhere to write. Even though I sort of did it in "Love Will Find A Way", still I wonder how Ron may act in this scenario. And I know it's a bit impromptu and everything, because there's not much of a background on Hermione and her boyfriend in this fic, but just bear with me. enjoy ;-) 

****

**Breakdown**

****

****-dutchtulips- 

_"I'm not the one who broke you,_

_I'm not the one you should fear_

_We got to move you, darlin'_

_I thought I lost you somewhere,_

_But you were never really ever there at all. . ."_

__

__

~ Goo Goo Dolls, "Here Is Gone" 

*** 

The letter had changed everything. 

As Ron Weasley sat outside on the swing on front porch of his house in the still nighttime air, he clutched the fated roll of papyrus in his sinewy hands. He'd gotten earlier that day, and, upon reading it, his entire body had gone numb. Even still hours later, that feeling was stronger than ever. 

After leaving school, Ron had made a strong effort to lead what was a simple life. He'd made Winchester his home and practiced hard on his Quidditch game to finally become a chaser on Britain's national team. He kept in touch with Harry and Hermione, and the three of them often got together in Hogsmeade on weekends to talk and have something to drink. 

A home, a job, and friends; it couldn't be simpler. When Ron had suffered an injury last year during the Quidditch season, he'd healed fast, gotten back to the team, and everything was normal again. When Harry announced that he and Ginny were expecting their first child, and that Ron was going to be an uncle, he'd been overjoyed, but still everything faded to normal again eventually. When Hermione talked occasionally about her most recent date with her boyfriend Reede, well, everything was still just normal. 

But this time, it wasn't normal. The letter had changed everything. The simple piece of post had awaken a side of Ron had had been hibernation for years. Ever since he was still a student at Hogwarts, that particular part of Ron's heart was something that he'd strained to hold back. Up until this morning, Hermione had been his best friend. Just his normal best friend. 

Except now he knew the truth. Reading those mere words on the page had done it all. Now that he thought about it, Ron found it astounding that such an everyday thing like a roll of paper with some words on it could change his entire life around. Except that it had; it had opened up and awaken that side of Ron's heart. And now. . .now it could no longer be shunned away like the many years that had past. 

The papyrus was now starting to crumple in Ron's hands. That was perfectly fine by him; he would trade anything at the moment if it meant that the bloody letter had never existed at all. It killed him to even regard that it was really there, which was why Ron couldn't understand at all what kept his fingers clutched around the papyrus. 

A zephyr breezed by suddenly, cooling Ron's fevered brow. It also caused a movement from the redhead, and he looked down at the paper, seeming to stare at it for a very long moment. Finally, he unrolled it and stared at Hermione's pretty and sophisticated penmanship peering back up at him. The red-inked words stated it as simple as could be. 

A cloud moved in the vast sapphire curtain overhead, revealing the silvery full moon. It cast its dim light down upon Ron's porch, and as he looked up at it from the roll of papyrus, a tear was just barely visible tumbling from of one of his soft blue eyes. Wiping it away quickly, he roughly shove the letter away into the pocket of his robes. Gathering his face in his hands, the redhead sat in that position for a long time. 

Suddenly, from the corner of the street, a man appeared, as if from nowhere. His robes were black, making it almost impossible to see him in the nighttime atmosphere. Running a hand through his untidy black hair, the man moved with precision, his intense green eyes never moving away from his best friend. 

From the corner of his eye, Ron saw a movement ahead of him. He was startled for a moment, but then the feeling fell away as he realized who it was. "Harry. . ." the redhead said, his voice somewhat clogged. 

Slowly he approached the porch, mounting the front steps and silently sitting down next to Ron on the swing. Harry gave his friend a moment to compose himself before asking, "So, how are you holding up?" 

The redhead was taken aback, asking incredulously, "How did you know?" 

Harry glanced sideways at him. "I knew," he replied simply. "Besides, she sent me a letter about it, too." 

"Yeah, I reckon she would, as you're her best friend, too," Ron said, wearily ruffling his hair. He paused. "But I don't think you fully understood what I meant. How did you know I'd be like _this_?" 

He looked over at the redhead, echoing the same words as before. "I knew." 

It was silent between them after that. The only noise was from the porch swing creaking back and forth and the crickets chirruping in the evening mist for several minutes, but then Harry broke the quiet, his words seemingly off the previous topic, but in reality they weren't. 

"Go. Tonight. Right now, Ron. You've been dancing around this for too many years now, and this might just be your last chance." 

He looked over at his best friend. "I - I don't know if I can, Harry." 

"Why not?" 

Ron leaned back in the swing, eyes averted and his arms crossed over his torso. "I'm - I'm scared. I'm scared of what she might say." 

Harry reach over and put a reassuring hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Well, that's when you have to ask yourself, 'Self? Is this worth taking the chance? Is this worth putting my heart on the line and reaching out for another's hand?' " He gave his friend a meaningful glance. 

Ron could only stare back, taking in the meaning of his friend's words. Finally, after a long bout of contemplating what Harry was saying, he whispered, "You know what, Harry? You're - you're. . .right." Abruptly, he got up from the swing and to his feet, straightening the collar of his robes. 

"So you're going to go over there?" He asked, sitting up and smiling. "You're going to take my advice for once in your life?" 

"Ha, ha," Ron said weakly, at Harry's smirking face. Immediately he started down the front steps and to the sidewalk, before a realization hit him and he turned around. "You're just going stay here? At my house?" 

He got up, still smirking at his best friend. "Don't worry, I'm going. But might I ask you a question, too?" 

"Hmm?" 

Harry started down the steps, meeting Ron on the sidewalk. "Are you going to. . .walk there?" 

His voice fell to its former quiet tone. "It's only a block or two up. And besides, I, uh, I've got to do some thinking, you know." 

"Yeah. Good luck, Ron," Harry said, smiling genuinely. 

"Thanks, mate." He smiled back, and then they parted opposite ways up the street. 

Stopping at the corner where he'd appeared, Harry concentrated a moment, preparing to Disapparate and, all the while he was disappearing, and even after he'd gone, the untidy-haired wizard just shook his head in amusement at his best friend, and at the same time, wishing him Godspeed. 

*** 

Hermione had been standing in front of the mirror in the front hallway of her home, weaving her nutmeg hair into a long plait, when the doorbell rang. Hastily she finished it off by tying a ribbon at the bottom, and then quickly ambled for the front door, turning the knob and creaking the handsome wooden door open. 

"Oh, hello, Ron!" She said brightly, a smile forming on her lips when she saw him. "All right, there?" 

He awkwardly shifted, taking his hands from his pockets and saying, "I'm fine. You?" 

"Pretty good." The smile was still on Hermione's face as she opened the door a bit wider. "Do you want to come in?" 

Hesitantly Ron stepped inside, turning around towards Hermione as she closed the door. He followed her as she walked into the living room, and then sat down in front of the fireplace. She leaned in the doorway, saying, "Do you want anything? Some butterbeer or some pumpkin juice?" 

"N-no," he stammered. "I'm all right. I just, er, came by to visit with you for a moment, that's all." 

She looked curiously at him for a moment, and then stepped forward into the living room, sitting down across from him on the sofa. A few moments passed as Hermione stared at Ron, as he stared at the cabernet carpet.   


"Well, er, did you have something in particular you wanted to talk about?" She asked softly. 

Ron sighed inwardly. _Harry's right. No more beating around the bush. It's been eight years of knowing each other, and it's now or never. _Out loud, "I, er, got your letter today. Or rather, your announcement." 

"Oh, oh, yes," she nodded. "Reede and I are getting married at the end of the month." 

His heart dropped into his stomach. "That's, er, so - so sudden." 

Hermione merely nodded again, still looking at him curiously. After a minute or two, she proclaimed, "Now, I know you didn't come here just to find out when the wedding will be. Tell me, Ron, what's troubling you?" 

He looked up at her finally, running a quick hand through his flaming hair. "Your letter." 

Her brow furrowed. "I don't think I understand." 

"Yes, you do," he replied reasonably, and then, without thinking, reached over and took Hermione's hand; hers was soft and delicate inside of his. In a calming voice, Ron continued. 

"Listen. Ever since we left school, all I've been trying to do is just have a normal, ordinary life, you know? Even though I'm on a national Quidditch team, even though I had -" He swallowed, " - old feelings that I thought were fleeting. . ." He momentarily paused to see Hermione's reaction; she was nodding and encouraging him to go on. 

"And. . .I thought I was doing a good job of it too, you know, having a great career and friends that I got together with every weekend. . .but, I was wrong. Today when I got your post, I realized I was wrong. Suddenly everything. . .had become clear." Ron's eyes were locked into hers. 

"It did?" She whispered. 

"Yeah," he replied, a bit uneasily now. "And I'm so sorry it took me this long to tell you, even though. . .it's too late. You're - you're marrying Reede, and. . ." He cut himself off. "But I love you, 'Mione. I've loved you all along. I guess I just didn't know it, didn't realize it, until your letter, and suddenly I was about to lose you before my eyes, and. . .I love you." Ron turned away from her chestnut colored eyes. 

At that moment she did something he didn't expect. Her grip tightened on his hand. "Ron," she whispered. "I don't have to marry Reede." 

"You don't?" He said, his voice jerking. 

Hermione reached over and put a finger under his chin, tilting his face upwards to meet his eyes. "No. I don't." She paused. "I don't because I was scared you would never tell me that you did. Because I thought that you didn't, so I thought, 'Maybe it's time I take a chance with Reede.' I don't, because. . ." He noticed tears were starting to roll down her cheeks, and she whispered, "I love you, too." 

Slowly Ron reached up and took gentle hold of the hand on his face, now grasping both of Hermione's hands in his lap. "All along?" he whispered back. 

"All along," she echoed. 

He was a bit hesitant at first, but then Ron leaned forward to meet Hermione's lips with his own, drawing her closer as she kissed back passionately, her hands slipping out of his to wind around his neck, his wrapping sweetly around her torso. 

And, as like the letter, Ron's simple, normal life was no longer existent as he drifted through, wound himself up in, the moment. But realizing that he had been in love with Hermione this entire life of knowing her was, _un_like the letter, something that Ron's ordinary life was more than happy to take in. 

**el fin**

_"And I want to get free_

_Talk to me_

_I can feel you falling_

_And I wanted to be_

_All you need_

_Somehow here is gone."_

__

__

__~Goo Goo Dolls, "Here Is Gone" 

*** 


End file.
